Person:Ephraim Brigham (1)

Probate

FHL Film 0386033 File 2653 "Ephraim Brigham 1771"

In the Name of God Amen. The Twenty fifth day of May 1770. I Ephraim Brigham of Marlborough in ye County of Middlesex & Province of the Massachusetts Bay in New England Gentleman being Weak in body but of perfect mind & memory thanks be to God therefore Calling to mind ye mortality of my body & knowing it is appointed for men once to Die; Do make & ordain this my last will & Testament, that is to Say, Principally & first of all I give & recommend my Soul into ye hand of God that Gave it; & my Body I recommend to ye Earth to be buried in decent Chrisitan burial at the Discretion of my Executor. hoping at ye Resurrection to receive it again by the mighty power of God; & as Touching such worldly Estate wherewith it hath pleased God to Bless me in this Life, I Give Demise & Dispose of the Same in following manner.

Imprim. I will that all my Just Debts be paid by my Executor.

Item I Give & Demise to the Town of Marlboro' Twenty two pounds Six Shillings to Lay as a fund undiminished forever the interest of it to be for a reward to the minister of the Town for the time being for preaching in person or by proxy, an annual Publick Sermon Calculated more Specially for Young people, to promote their Reformation & Happiness present & future. Furthermore I Give & demise to the Town of Marlboro' One Hundred & Eleven pounds & Eight pence to lay a fund undiminished forever, the interest to be annually expended in hiring Some Suitable Person to keep a School in ye middle of the Town & teach young people the art of writing & cyphering - I mean a School Distinct from the Town School - and tis my Will that this as well as the above mentioned Donation be paid by my Executor out of my personal Estate at my Decease and to be both of them under the Care & management of the ministers & Selectmen of the Town for the time being Jointly - whom also I appoint Trustees of the forementioned Sums.

Item I Give & Demise to Ephraim Brigham Fay, To Ephraim Brigham Willard & to Ephraim Brigham Hardy Sons of my nears kinsmen & kinswomen to Each & every one of them Twenty Six pound thirteen shilling & four pence to be paid by my Executor out of my personal Estate, Provided they live to ye age of Twenty one years.

Item I Give & Demise all the remainder of my personal Estate within doors & without to Hannah my Well beloved Wife to be hers forever - further I Give her the improvement of the whole of my Real Estate so long as shee remain my Widow and if shee marries I Give her the improvement of one third of my Real Estate during Life.

Item I Give & Demise to my nephew William Brigham of Southboro' (whom I constitute make & ordain the Sole Executor of this my Last Will & Testament) my Dwelling House, Barns & every other building on my Homestead, to be his forever - I give him the whole of that part of my Real Estate which my Hon'd Father Gave me by Deed or Will; I Give him also my Pew in the meeting House; & whatever piece of Land I have either taken up or bought adjoining to ye afores'd Land of my Father & to Come into Possession of it all when my Wife has Done with it. I mean such pieces of Land adjoining to the afores'd Land of my Father which I have either bought or taken up out of the Town way.

Finally I Give & Demise to my nephews & nieces, the afords'd William Brigham excepted whatever parts or parcels of my Estate in Town or out personal or Real that may remain undisposed of, to be equally Divided among them at my Wife's Decease.

I Do hereby utterly Disallow, revoke & Disannul all & Every other former Testaments, wills Legacies & Bequests & Executors by me in any Wise before named, Willed or Bequeathed & Confirming this & no other to be my Last Will & Testament - In Witness whereof I have hereunto Set my Hand & Seal ye day & year above written.

[signed] Ephraim Brigham

Signed Sealed Published & pronounced & Declared by the s'd Ephraim Brigham as his Last will & Testament in the Presence of Us the Subscribers- Ebenezer Eaton, Moses Robarts, Aaron Smith

Proved 5 May 1771

1. ↑ Marlborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Marlborough, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Worcester, Massachusetts: Franklin P. Rice, 1908)
   39.

   BRIGHAM, Ephraim, s. Nathan and Elizabeth, Jan. 20, 1707-8.

2. ↑ Marlborough, Middlesex, Massachusetts, United States. Vital Records of Marlborough, Massachusetts, to the End of the Year 1849. (Worcester, Massachusetts: Franklin P. Rice, 1908)
   347.

   BRIGHAM, Capt. Ephraim, Feb. 7, 1771, a. 63. GS2

3. ↑ Brigham, Willard Irving Tyler. The history of the Brigham family: a record of several thousand descendants of Thomas Brigham the emigrant, 1603-1653. (New York: Grafton Press, 1907-1927)
   101.

   Capt. Ephraim Brigham, s/o Capt. Nathan Brigham and Elizabeth Howe, b. Marlboro 20 Jan 1707-8, d. Marlboro 7 Feb 1771, m. 15 Apr 1730 Hannah Willard. "There were 32 heirs to his estate, none of whom were his descendants" since both his children d. young.